Baseball And the Man Behind the Wall
by Sylvia Blackwood
Summary: Full Summary inside. Goes through the events of the film ( and then some) through the eyes of Benny, and then we go beyond the film and watch his journey of self discovery as his friendship with Scotty slowly develops into something more... Eventual M/M relations. Fluff. Sap. T to be safe. Tried to keep it clean.
1. A Wave And A Thumbs Up

**Author's Note** : This fic has been 20 years in the making. No joke. Ever since I first saw the movie in Middle School, and ever since I discovered M/M fan-fiction was actually a thing, this little piece has been brewing in the corners of my mind until I finally got my own copy of the movie out of the $5 bin 3 years ago, and gone through it over and over with subtitles. Yes, this goes through the events of the whole movie, and then some, seeing it through the eyes of Benny. I decided not to post it until it was well and truly finished as far as I could stand (May make a tweak here or there). This is NOT about two boys getting it on. Nothing romantically happens until much later in their lives. Kept everything as PG and innocent as possible. Nothing explicit. Enjoy!

* * *

If I had to guess, I say my life's purpose and direction changed the day I saw the new neighbors across the street. There was a boy, probably a couple years younger than me, and he was busy unpacking like a good kid. When he looked up, his first impulse was to smile and wave at me. I was so put off by it that all I could do was awkwardly nod in response before going into my house.

I don't know why, but that wave… it did something to me. I still remember moving in 5 years previously. I was 9 at the time, and not that good at conversing with people. It didn't help that regular English never made much sense to me, since people kept changing things up and switching from what's proper to what was popular. It took a long time for me to get a grasp of it, but I still had some pent up anger at being teased for not knowing how to speak to people.

I used baseball to help with my frustration since I was six. The excitement and thrill I got at the suspense of stealing a plate just forced everything else out of my mind. The love of the game grew when I learned about the greatest baseball player of them all. Babe Ruth. A man with attitude, passion, commitment, he had it all! I wanted to be the next big thing. A tall dream for such a little boy.

But once I got over the idea of being new, I found other kids who liked the game as well. There were five of them. We had two thirds of a team, but that was enough for us. We just played. Before I knew it, years had gone by. People have come and gone. But the game still remained. I was now the oldest in our little band of aspiring players.

I was curious about the newest kid in our neighborhood though. He seemed… different. Something about him stood out. I could see some trophies being unpacked from a larger box as I looked out my window. So at least someone in that family had an interest in baseball. I decided not to think about it. Chances are, this kid will think we're weird. Those who don't like baseball look at my group as though we're aliens.

The next day though, while I'm practicing my batting, I can see the new kid in the back of the yard. He must be curious. As I call out instructions to the others, I still can't help but shift my gaze to him. He has what looks like a mitt, but it looks too small to be proper. And his hat… whoever made it should've been shot. I see him move away from the fence. Good thing too. I've been afraid to go over there since I came here. Most of the time, I just ignore it. However, today I'm not so lucky. I'm not focused, and I hit the ball too close to the fence.

Instead of using his mitt, he ends up nearly getting clobbered by the ball, and gets knocked off his feet. The others laugh unabashed, and I just shake my head and look down. I feel embarrassed for him. I remember when I was the neighborhood laughing stock.

He awkwardly gets up and calls out to us that he'll get the ball. I hear the others start to taunt him, and I really start to feel sorry for him as he is startled away from the fence. But when he threw (or what vaguely passed as a throw) the ball, the taunting increased ten fold. These guys can be a pretty mean at times if you don't have the attitude to bounce back from all the jeers. I could just make out his face crumbling as he started to cry. He kept his head down, and ran away. I felt horrible. I'm sure that he would like the game if he had some instruction. But now… humiliation like that hangs really heavy on someone so young. I should know.

The next day, as I was getting ready for practice and stretching outside, I could hear voices coming from his backyard. Curiosity got the better of me, so I snuck up to the fence, and hid behind some bushes.

The kid was attempting to play catch, despite what happened yesterday. That takes guts. The man with him was awkward. That's all I could describe him as. He was awkward in his instruction, and he was awkward around the kid. I had a feeling these two have a standoffish relationship at the best of times. I was knocked out of my thoughts when the ball collided with the kid's head. They both rushed inside, but I knew how much that would hurt. There was a good deal of force in that throw, possibly due to frustration. And the kid didn't know how to move right. I also noticed that the throw even busted the sorry excuse of a glove.

I decided to go back home and finish getting ready for practice. All the while, I kept hearing the kid's cry of pain in my head, and I just wished I could do something about it. When I got dressed and was about to head out, I noticed him sitting on his front step like the universe was against him. So lonely, and so isolated. Summer just started, and this kid gazed at nothing, as though he accepted his lonely fate. That didn't sit well with me. He wants to learn. I can see that. He's even fiddling with his broken mitt as though it was a shield that failed him in battle. And his black eye was a battle scar from a failing war. I could tell he was even crying.

Making up my mind, I grab my spare glove, and an old baseball cap I don't wear anymore. With that, I walked over to him with more confidence than I was really feeling. I've never been the one to approach people, so this is delving outside of my comfort zone. "Hey." I tried to say with confidence. He nodded in recognition, but quickly downcast his eyes, probably hoping I would just continue walking or something and not notice his tears. "I'm gonna play some ball. We need an extra guy. You wanna go?"

"No. Thanks." He said, keeping his eyes down.

"Why not? Don't you like baseball?" I already knew the answer, but I wasn't going to let him get away with a 'no' as his final answer.

"Oh, yeah, but…"

"But what?"

He looked down, and it almost seemed like he just remembered what was in his hands. He stood up. "But my glove…It's busted." I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that as he continued to fumble over his words, "Uh, see? Now I can't go. Thanks though…"

This was what I was waiting for. "It's ok." I pulled my spare glove from my back pocket. "I got an extra one." I toss it to him, and thankfully he catches it. At least I know he has _some_ hand-eye coordination, even with a black eye. He looks back at me a little bewildered, "Come on. Let's go." There was no room for argument. I knew he was excited to go as he hastily chucked his old glove inside his house and quickly called out to his mother. He didn't even ask if it was ok. I repeat myself and off we go to meet the others.

As we jogged, we finally got around to introductions, and I learned that his name was Scotty Smalls. He was curious as to why my name was 'Benjamin Franklin' Rodriguez, and I told him it was because my Mom was an American History teacher, and the year I was born was the year my Dad got his job at the Local History Museum as the Curator.

When we reached our frequented convenience store, I could make out Ham's stupid imitation of the Babe as we walked up, a bubblegum cigar in his mouth. "Imm mah grm bambmmo."

"What?" All they others said.

He finally pulled it out and said, "I'm the Great Bambino!"

"Oh!" Came the chorus of understanding.

"Who's that?" Scotty asked. I knew that was the wrong thing to say around these guys. But I couldn't think of anything to help him as they all looked at him in shock. I don't blame him for not knowing, we're not born with everything we should know when we start getting interested in something, but this… was a disaster. The others were already starting their mocking.

"What did he say?"

"What, were you born in a barn, man?"

"Yeah, yeah, what planet are you from?"

"You never heard of the Sultan of Swat?"

"The Titan of Terror?"

"The Colossus of Clout?"

"The Colossus of Clout!"

I pitch in, "The King of Crash, man." But I tried to convey with my eyes for him to just roll with it.

"Oh, yeah, the Great Bambino. Of course." He said.

I knew that was a lie. I kept turned away from the others, waiting for this conversation to end.

"I thought you said 'the Great Bambi'."

Nice try, but that was never going to fly.

"That wimpy deer?" Ham asked flabbergasted.

"Yeah. I guess. Sorry."

I saw my chance to change the subject as I introduced Scotty to the guys and explain to them why he is there. I leave no room for them to say anything as I herd them towards the sandlot. And I knew I couldn't escape the venom of the other guys.

"Why'd you bring him, Benny?" Weeks asked.

"Because there's eight of us, and he makes nine." I say, as though it was obvious.

"Yeah, yeah, so would my sister, but I didn't bring her."

"With nine guys we've got a whole team, Yeah-Yeah." I could tell Scotty was hanging back. I knew he could hear them. He started to look sad and pathetic again.

"No. With Elswenger we had a whole team." Ham pointed out. "Elswenger could catch."

"And throw."

"Come on, Benny, man. He ain't game."

"You saw the way he threw."

"Yeah."

"You already fill up all the empty positions since Elswenger moved to Arizona."

I pounced on this. "Right! And now I get to rotate eight positions instead of seven!" I stared them down. "I need the practice guys."

"You're the best on the team. You don't need any practice." The others agreed. I was losing them.

Squints didn't help when he piped up, "Come on, Benny, man. The kid… is… a… L… 7… Weenie!"

Yeah-Yeah built on that, "Yeah-Yeah. Oscar Meyer even. " Then he shouted. "Foot-long! Dodger dog! A weenie!" And all the rest laughed.

I looked back at Scotty, and seeing his head downcast made me angry at all of them. They were so childish. "What are you laughing at, Yeah-Yeah? You run like a duck." That was a low blow, and I knew it. I knew that one of his legs is shorter than the other, and he can't help that. But I needed them to see how petty they were being.

"Kay, kay, but I'm… I'm…" He floundered. While some of the others started to laugh at him now.

"Part of the game, right?" I challenged.

"Mmm… Yeah!"

"Now, how come he don't get to be?" I reasoned.

"Cause he's a geek, man." Says the one with the nerdy glasses.

"He can't catch."

I was tired of this. "Man, base up, you blockheads." I say as I turn to walk towards Scotty. I make sure they're actually moving, and not waiting to argue further. When I reach Scotty, I decide to give him a nickname like the others, "Smalls, you take left center, okay?"

I turn to head back as I hear him ask, "Okay. Um, where exactly is that?"

I turn back and barely hold a groan. Arguing with the others dampened my own decision to bring him. "It's… over there, man." He starts running, and I continue walking.

"Here?" He calls out.

I was starting to get a little frustrated. "That's left. I said left center."

"Okay. Right." He says as he moves over. "Here?"

I nod in affirmation, and head towards home. I start off on a practice hit, and the others move like clockwork, throwing the ball to home. I had to try to include Scotty. "Hey, Smalls, throw it to second." I call out to him.

"Okay." I hear him reply.

I hit the ball, and hear the disapproval of the others as I wait and watch. Sure enough, he shuffles backwards, trips, and falls on his ass. Great. I just forced him to repeat the humiliation of yesterday. Almost exactly. He backs away from the growling at the fence again, and instead of throwing, he runs up and places the ball into the pitcher's glove. I could tell everyone's jaws were dropped, including mine. He runs back to his spot, but he looked so deflated.

I was half expecting him to run away again, so I quickly moved to run after him. He waited for me, but his demeanor was already telling me how much he just wanted to leave. He was looking at the mitt as though he was about to take it off.

"You can throw it, you know." I tell him.

He takes his hat off, defeated. "No… I can't." He looks at the guys, and then back at me. "I don't know how." There was the confession of the year. I couldn't help but roll my eyes again. "Thanks for taking me here, but I think I'd better go." He said, and made to start walking passed me.

I quickly stopped him. "Hey! Hey. You think too much." I take a wild guess, "I bet you get straight A's and shit, huh?"

"No, I got a "B" once." He defended. Then he mumbled, "Actually it was an A-minus. But it should've been a "B"."

I smirked at that. I so called it. "Man, this is baseball. You gotta stop thinking. You just have fun. I mean, if you were having fun, you would've caught that ball." He looked down again as though he failed some sort of test. I tried a different tactic, "You ever have a paper route?"

"I helped a guy once."

Not much, but I'll go with it, "Okay. Well, chuck it like you would throw a paper." I lift my arm to demonstrate. "When your arm gets here, just let go. Just let go. It's that easy." I move to head back to the home plate.

"How do I catch it?" I hear him ask meekly.

I think for a minute. This is where he needs the confidence the most. I know I'm good with my aim, so I might be able to help him out, "Just stand there, and stick your glove out in the air. I'll take care of it." I say as I head back.

When I reach the plate, I try to gather my focus and repeat my instruction for Scotty to throw it to second. I spit on the ball, and pray it will fly true, and then I hit the ball with my bat. For an agonizing moment, I thought I over compensated. I was holding my breath as I saw the ball rise and then start to fall. Scotty was doing like I said, and for a moment, I thought it was all over. He was going to miss, and he was going to leave, period. Never to return. But my heart actually jumped when the ball made contact with his open glove. He looked at the ball, not really believing it was there, and then he smiled. He had caught it!

"Yeah! All right!" I exclaim. I was thrilled for him!

"He's all right." I hear squints confess. I could tell he was blown away when he scrubbed his glasses against his shirt, clearly not believing what he just saw.

"I told you so, man." When I saw him actually throw it to second, with decent aim I might add, I could see the immediate shift in everyone's attitudes. When the ball came back to Ham, I saw Scotty smile and give me the 'thumbs up'. "Yeah!" I shout at him, returning the gesture. It was then that we really started to play.

Afterwards, as we all start to walk home, we naturally all head off to our own homes until it's just me, Ham, and Scotty. They were deep into a conversation when Ham broke away from us to go his own way. I smiled as Ham told Scotty that he did good. I could feel the confidence radiating off of him now, and it was unbelievable. I tell Ham to meet up at 8:00 tomorrow.

"8:00, Benny?" Scotty asked, making sure he heard right.

"Yeah. See you later, Smalls." I tell him as I head towards my home.

"Bye. See you tomorrow." He says and starts to walk away. Soon after, I hear him call out to me. "Benny, wait!" I turn back. "Your glove."

I shrug, "Keep it, man." It's an old glove, but it's good. And I'm partial to the one that I have now, so I don't mind letting him have it for keeps.

"Thanks!" He calls back, as though I gave him the best darn Christmas present. That made me feel even better about it.

It also reminded me of a couple things, "Oh, yeah. Hey Smalls." He turns back, and comes out again to meet me. For some reason, I feel a bit flustered, and I don't know why. Perhaps it's the way he is eagerly waiting for me to say something that makes me forget what I was about to say for a moment. "Um, bring a T-shirt and jeans tomorrow, okay?" I try to say it delicately, but he still looked guilty of doing something else wrong.

"Oh, yeah." He says softly.

I nearly forgot the other thing that I wanted to tell him, "Oh, um, you got a fireplace?"

He looked at me confused. "Yeah, why?"

I look behind me to make sure that none of the other guys were still out on their lawns. I allow myself to tease him a bit, "Throw that hat in there, man." I say as I flick the overly large bill.

He quickly takes it off, and I could hear the insecurity in his voice again as he looked down at his shoes again. "Oh, yeah. Well, you know, it was the only one I had."

Before he even finished his sentence, I pulled my other hat out of my pocket. "Not anymore. Wear my old hat." I felt bad for having it the whole time we practiced, but his face lit up anyway. I practically force it into his hands as he looked at me in wonderment. I start heading home, "8:00 tomorrow morning."

I briefly look back, as I see him put the hat on anyway, and smile again, "Thanks, Benny. Great. 8:00." I could just barely hear him call into the house, "Mom! Guess what!" and I was happy.

I felt like I was flying on a cloud. I wonder if this was what it felt like to have a little brother. In one day, I gave him confidence, protected him from being bullied, taught him how to play baseball, and gave him some hand-me-downs that he actually appreciated. I felt elated. I truly felt closer to Scotty than I did the others. I couldn't explain why. Perhaps he reminded me of myself, even though I never got straight A's. Whatever the reason, I was starting to become really glad that he was part of our group now.


	2. The Beast And The Ban

The next day, we were at it for a couple hours until Ham was up at bat. Imitating the Babe again. No wonder DeNunez decided to throw a high ball. Ham still went for it, and nearly fell over from the momentum of his swing. "Whoa!" I couldn't help commenting on that, "You nearly lost your head!" I said before I threw the ball back.

"You call that pitching? This is baseball, not tennis! Give me something I can hit."

He proved he could hit DeNunez's heater all right. Clean over the evil fence. We try to avoid it when we possibly can. But every time we lose a ball, we never see it again, and one of us needs to beg our parents for the money to buy another ball. "Ham, you idiot! Now we can't play no more." I shout at him as he continues to run the bases. It looked more like he was traveling through a gauntlet of angry baseball gloves as everyone pelted him continuously.

I didn't care. He did deserve it, and I was disappointed that we still had a good portion of the day to kill, and no ball to play with. I was knocked out of my moping when squints started shouting, "Noooooooo!" I look up, and I see Scotty trying to climb the fence. I didn't think, I just ran, the others doing the same. My long legs allow me to get there first, and I grab at Scotty's waist and try to pull him down from the fence. It's awkward, but I practically threw him over my shoulder in order to get him away from there. My heart was racing, and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. My mind started to plague me with images of what could have happened, if he went over there.

"Holy crap, you could have been killed!" Squints said.

"Yeah, yeah, truly. What are you doing?"

Scotty tried to defend himself. "You guys were leaving, so I just thought I'd hop the fence…"

"If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that."

I told him as I caught my breath. "You can't go back there, Smalls."

"Then how do we get the ball back?" He asked, helpless.

"We don't." The others start to tell him to forget about it.

I continue, "Game's over, man. We'll just get another ball tomorrow. We'll never see it again." We all turn to head back.

"Why not?" Scotty asked.

We all answered, as though it was the most natural thing, "The Beast…"

"What is that?" He asked, clearly confused.

I knew there was no way but to show him what we were talking about. I come closer to him, "Smalls, listen to me." I tell him as I gesture to the fence, "Go to that fence… real slow, and be quiet.."

I know I was scaring him as he stammered, "But… I-I think…"

"No, no, no. No, no." I say to get him to stop talking. "Just go and peek through that hole."

"But I… but I saw something. What's back there?"

"It's okay. Just go." I gently push him. It wasn't really ok, but he had to see. "Just go."

I watched with trepidation as he crept up to the fence. I waited with baited breath until he jumped back and moved towards us. "Something got the ball. W-what was that thing?"

We knew that was going to be a long story, and since we couldn't play anymore today, we all looked at each other and we were all in agreement. "Camp out."

We all go back home and grab our stuff in order to spend the night in our club/tree house. Night came quickly, and Smalls was the last one there. I started to set up my sleeping bag near the back, and I couldn't help but giggle as Scotty didn't understand what Ham was talking about by a S'more. We really need to take this kid camping for real.

We all settle in, and listen to Squints regal the tale of The Beast. I don't really know how much of this is true, but that… thing gave me the creeps. It has ever since I came here, and Squints' story didn't help matters. I was too afraid to even question it. But I didn't let on to just how scared I was.

Scotty tried to see if we were pulling his leg, but I could tell that he believed the story just as much as we all did. And he was just as scared as we were. It wasn't long after that we decided to hunker down for the night. Scotty and I were in the back, and I decided to keep my eye on him. I had nightmares the first time I heard that story, and I hoped he wouldn't tonight.

I stayed awake, listening to the crickets, and waiting for sleep to finally claim me. It must have been around 2:00 in the morning when I heard Scotty whimpering. He was twitching in his bag, and I knew he was having a nightmare. I decided to shake him awake. "Hey!" I whispered. His eyes opened, and I waited until he was looking at me. "Bad dream?" I asked.

"…Yeah… sorry…" He whispered back.

"Don't worry about it, man."

"Why the heck do you guys have a tree house right next it?"

Good question. "It's been here ever since the sandlot was put in. No one uses it except for us." I could tell he had other questions, but he just looked away. "Try to get some sleep, man. Nothing's gonna happen to you. We're all here for you." I tell him as I rub his arm in a comforting motion. He seemed to relax somewhat, and settled back down. I decided to shift a little closer to him, for his comfort, as well as my own. It must have worked, because we both fell asleep soon afterwards.

* * *

The next morning, there was a heat wave, and we were all ready and waiting for Squints and Yeah-Yeah to arrive with the new ball. It probably was an hour later when I saw them finally running up. "Where you guys been? We've been waiting here forever already." I couldn't help but roll my eyes as Yeah-Yeah was teasing Squints about his not so secret crush on Wendy.

It was then that Ham came up to me. "This pop isn't working, Benny. I'm baking like a toasted cheeser! It's so hot here!" He already had a thick sheen of sweat, and I was barely breaking into one. Maybe I'm just built to handle the heat better, but isn't part of training to be the best supposed to test your limits in all weather conditions?

But the others quickly took Ham's side. "It's 150 degrees out there. You can't play baseball."

"You have to call it for the day."

"You gotta listen to him, Benny."

I was upset. We finally got a new ball, and they didn't even want to try. "Vote then. Anybody who wants to be…" I thought of the worst things I could think of in my frustrated fazed mind, "a 'can't hack it' pantywaist… who… wears their mama's bra, raise your hand." To my astonishment, they didn't even skip a beat as they all raised their hands. Even Scotty did, but at least he hesitated. I gave in, "Fine, fine, fine!" Needless to say I was disappointed. "Be like that. So what are we gonna do?"

That's when Yeah-Yeah let out a lecherous laugh, and the rest didn't take long to catch his drift. "Scam pool honeys!" They all shouted. I rolled my eyes. Scotty looked a little lost. They all got up, and started running to their respective homes to grab their stuff. I took my time, and Scotty was not far behind.

"You all right, Benny?" He asked.

"Fine. Just… fine." I was a little snappish, and I felt bad that Scotty was the one to get the brunt of my bad mood.

After a bit of silence, "I'm sorry we couldn't play today." He said.

I look over at him, and I could see how the weather was affecting him too. It was then that my mood deflated a bit. As much as I love baseball, I knew that I was the only one who was that serious about it. Scotty was the one trying to keep up with everyone. I could tell he still felt like an outsider. Which was probably why he sided with the rest of the guys. "Well, at least the pool is good for resistance training."

"Um, what were the others talking about?"

"Oh, that's their catch phrase for wanting to scope out the chicks at the pool." I guessed there was something wrong with me. Growing up, I never really thought about girls. I've always just thought about baseball. I always assumed it was because I was more disciplined. But really, I just could care less about girls.

"Oh…" He said. I couldn't tell if he was down with the idea, or not. Either way, the others were probably done getting ready by now, and we're the ones who lived the furthest away.

"Come on, I'll race you home!" I say cheerily to him. He was in hot pursuit, and we both made it in record time. We split up to grab our swim gear, and headed out to meet the others.

My spirits had lifted somewhat by then and like the others, I couldn't wait to jump in the pool. We all filed in like a swarm, throwing our towels to the side, and jumping in. We usually used the pool to have splashing contests, wrestling matches, and see how many times we can dunk each other.

Scotty wasn't shy about trying to wrestle, and I already knew I could lift him myself, so I took every opportunity to throw him into the water whenever he jumped on me. The others were pelting us with water, and others tried to dunk me, but I still reign as the strongest. Scotty tried to surprise me whenever I seemed distracted, and I couldn't help but notice how I was the only one he was scuffling with.

I decided to brush it off as we all ended up looking at Wendy on her lifeguard post. As I watched her put on her sunscreen, I couldn't help but say, "Aw, man." At her obvious display. She was doing it on purpose. As obvious as a neon sign.

"She don't know what she's doing." Timmy and Tommy both said.

"Yeah she does." I was borderline disgusted. "She knows exactly what she is doing."

I was running on automatic as I watched Squints make the most stupidest move trying to get a piece of Wendy Peffercorn. An act that ended up getting us all banned from the pool. I admire his balls, but I'm not so sure it was worth a lifetime ban.


	3. Victory And Defeat

When the 4th of July rolled around, I was excited for the one night that we could play by the moonlight with the sky lit up by fire. I run up to Scotty's house, and impatiently rapped on his door. It didn't take him long to show. "Let's go! Come on! Get your glove and come on!"

"What's the big deal?" He asked, a little concerned.

"Night game. Come on. Come on."

"Mom, I'm going out!" He shouted inside as he rushed out. I couldn't help but smirk at how he also grabbed the hat I gave him. To see him obviously cherish the items I gave him was, dare I say it, endearing.

* * *

The next day, we decided to do a more cutthroat style round, where they all pretty much gang up on me. Sounds brutal, but it's actually where I get my best practice, because I know they wouldn't make it easy for me.

Sure enough, I hit I near home run, and was trapped in a Pickle at the very end. I have yet to fail a Pickle, and I'd like to keep that record untarnished.

Like always, I wait for the right time to sprint for the plate, and I let the gate stop the momentum of my running as I hear the others groan in defeat.

Everyone else gathered around, and Scotty gave me a high five. I was still trying to catch my breath, and briefly bent over, trying to get my equilibrium back. I could feel Scotty pat my back in semi concern when I hear Squints let out a pained, "Oh no!" As I look up, I could see what the problem was.

The baseball wannabe's were all biking in like an army in uniform. I grabbed my bat, and we all started walking towards the intruders. The others were enraged, and threw down their gloves in frustration. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Scotty struggle with the decision to throw his glove down like the others or not, and he finally decided to gently chuck it behind him. Despite the situation, I chuckled to myself before facing our nemesis. Lead by none other than Phillips.

"It's easy when you play with a bunch of rejects and a fat kid, Rodriguez." Phillips taunted.

"Shut your mouth, Phillips!" I bark at him. I know he's still pissed because I wouldn't join his so-called team. Just because they dressed together didn't mean they worked together.

Ham hated those guys more than I did, so I let him take the lead on this one. When it came to trash talking, he was better at getting the last word in, and he did not disappoint when he exclaimed that Phillips played ball like a girl. Everyone went silent with that one.

And that was how we ended up getting roped into a game with the wussy Tigers. It was hardly a challenge. We whooped them so good. Even Scotty did us proud. I was a little nervous for him, but for the amount of time he's been with us, he has been improving by leaps and bounds. And he really proved himself out there.

That night, we decided that we deserved to go to the carnival that was going on in town. My parents were too busy to take me, so they let me have a little extra for my allowance to make up for it. I knew some of my friends didn't even get an allowance, and I didn't want any of them to feel left out in our night of celebration. So when we all reached the ticket booth, I told them, "Hey, guys, it's all on me tonight." They all cheered and thanked me as I handed them their tickets to go on the ride.

"Aw, crap! I almost forgot!" I heard Weeks exclaim. We all crowd around him, wondering what he was talking about. He pulled out a package. "Chaw! I was saving it for a good time!" I slightly groaned once I recognized what it was he was holding.

"What is it?" I heard Scotty ask in front of me.

"Big Chief!" Weeks took a big whiff. "The best!"

But then Ham had to add on to that. "Jeez, Smalls. I suppose you don't even know who The Babe is either." As the others started to laugh, I could see Scotty's shoulders sag as he no doubt felt a sense of déjà vu, where he's the outcast. I rolled my eyes and couldn't help but put my hands on his tense shoulders, trying to give him some comfort, and let him know that I was behind him, figuratively as well as literally, and I would never laugh at him. But I heard Ham continue his onslaught. "It's plug. Wad. Chewing tobacco."

"'Baccy, man." Weeks threw in.

"What do you do with it?" Scotty asked, bravely I might add.

The others gapped at him. Ham finally spoke, "You're killing me, Smalls." He took some, and shoved it in his mouth. "Chew it, of course."

"You do?" Scotty still looked confused.

"Yes!"

"Yeah, sure, man. All the pros do it."

"Yeah, yeah. Gives you tons of energy."

"Let's dip."

"You got it, guys." Weeks said as he grabbed some and started to pass it around. I took some and put it in my mouth, and I could see that Scotty wasn't really keen on the taste as he tried to start chewing it. Neither was I, but I didn't let on to the others. I knew all the pros used it, but my Uncle died from using too much of this stuff, and to me, it was just nasty. Weeks stole that pack from his old man, and the others didn't think twice on it. "Let's ride!" Weeks shouted, and we all started up the stairs and jumped into the empty chairs of the Trabant.

I purposely picked a seat further behind the others so that they couldn't see me spit out my piece and chuck it into the bushes. The ride started up, and we started to get that rush of the wind in our faces as the ride went up and down. My stomach was a little uneasy with the feeling, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I was more concerned when I noticed the guys had stopped cheering. It wasn't long before I found out why. Every single one of them puked. It was so bad, they stopped the ride early to get everyone off and officials tried to calm the screaming women who were not quite out of the line of fire. I felt so bad for all of them, but I felt bad for the ride operator. I stayed out of sight until all the guys had stumbled away, all off in their own little sick worlds. I offered him the rest of my money to apologize for all of them. He tried to refuse, but I insisted, or at least suggested he give it to the one who ended up having to clean it up.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Ever notice how Benny is the only one you don't see get sick?


	4. The Sign And The Dream

The first time we're able to go back to the sandlot, after everyone was over being sick as dogs, I was so revved up to go that I was itching to hit that ball. The impact was strong and sweet. However, what I realized a split second later was that the ball was going in two different directions… and wasn't exactly whole anymore. Scotty caught what looked like the stuffing as the skin flopped useless to the ground. I would have been impressed if I wasn't so pissed that I busted our only ball. We all gather around to inspect the damage, but it was quite clearly demolished.

"Oh, man."

"I don't believe it."

"Bitchen'."

I hear people say around me. I didn't care. "Nah, it ain't." I say, unimpressed. We clearly bought a defective ball that was poorly made. I was starting to regret giving away what money I had the night of the fair.

"Come on, Benny man. Maybe two or three guys in history ever busted the guts out of a ball. Must be an omen."

I rolled my eyes annoyed. "All's it means is that we can't play no more. I mean it's already 12:00, and I just ruined the whole day for us."

"No, you didn't. I mean, that's the most amazing thing I ever saw."

Scotty was right in front of me. I could hear him chewing away on his Bazooka bubble gum, and he, like everyone else was staring at the ball skin, enraptured like the others. I felt emotionally exhausted. These guys clearly couldn't see things from my point of view. I was tempted to rest my head right on top of Scotty's in defeat, but I resisted. "Anybody got any money?" I asked. I knew the answer, but I was trying to make a point. Sure enough, everyone said 'no'. "Then it ain't okay, 'cause now we can't play no more."

"Yeah, we can." I hear Scotty say in front of me.

I was shocked, "What, you got 98 extra cents lying around, Smalls?" I didn't mean to sound so snide, but I was still pissed.

"No, but I got a ball."

I didn't even have time to register what he said before he was being shoved out of the circle by everyone as they all told him to go get it. As he ran back to his house, I had no reason to doubt him, since I did see him playing catch with that one guy. It wasn't long before he was running back

"I got it. I got the ball guys." This kid was literally my hero for the day! "Here, Benny. I got it."

"Bitchin'. Your ball, you're ups. Here you go." I tell Scotty as I hand him my bat. I know he could do more practice at bat. I've been keeping him in the field too long.

I hear his 'Okay' as I run to take his spot in Left Center, and Ham shouts "Batter up!"

From the first strike, I could tell that Ham was distracting him like he does to everyone at bat. I could tell Scotty was trying to focus and not let it get to him. It was then that I saw him center into the same level of focus that I've been trying to perfect. His swing collided with the ball, and it was going far. My heart was racing as I saw the ball fly my way. I was trying to move into its path, "Oh man. Oh man." My legs were running, but it was no use. The ball sailed straight over the fence. That was the second ball we lost today, but I actually didn't care. His form was perfect! It was a beautiful shot! And it was his first home run hit ever! I was so proud of him, that I couldn't be mad at him for losing it.

I was still at the fence when I heard, "Hey, uh, Smalls, third base is that way." and I could have sworn I heard him say, "Oh no. Oh no…"

Still excited, I started to move back to the group. "Yeah! Nice hit, Smalls. Nice hit. Yeah!" Looking at him, I think he's a little freaked that he lost the ball. He probably thought I was going to razz on him for losing the ball still, since I made such a big deal about it earlier. I decided to ham up my praise to ease his nerves, "It's outta here! Who's got the big bat now, boys?" But he was still looking like a truck hit his dog. The others started cheering, but he looked like he couldn't hear anyone. "Smalls?" I called to him starting to get a little worried as he walked slowly towards the fence.

"You forgot to turn. You go to third base! …Smalls! What the hell is he doing?" I hear Ham behind me. His first home run, and he didn't even finish the route, because he felt bad for losing the ball.

"Maybe the shock of his first homer was just too much for him." I heard Weeks say, and other's agreed. I shook my head, knowing that wasn't the reason. But I was starting to feel worried about Smalls. I've seen him cry, looking like the whole world was against him, and I never want him to feel that way ever again.

I move towards him as he just stares at the fence. He's in his own little world. I gently call to him. "Smalls? Smalls."

Eventually, he turns around, but the trepidation still remains. "We got to get that ball back." He says.

I lower my head. I couldn't help but chuckle as I heard the others start to laugh as well. "Oh, yeah, right. Good one Smalls."

"Yeah, good one Smalls." I hear them say. I knew that wasn't helping.

"Hey shut up." I tell the others. Not surprising, they all quieted down. Lemmings. I put my attention back to Scotty, "Forget about it, man. We'll just get another ball." I turn around, preparing to wrap it up for the day.

"No, you don't understand!" He was starting to sound a little hysterical.

"Sure we do. You feel bad 'cause you belted a homer. Now we can't play no more." I was hoping that seeing that I wasn't mad about it would help him ease up.

"No, you don't understand! That wasn't my ball!" He shouted.

Now I was confused. Clearly I was not the only one. Squints asked the question we were all thinking. "What do you mean that wasn't your ball?"

"It was my stepdad's." Ok, so he might be in a little bit of trouble with the man who nailed him in the face. I can understand some of that trepidation now. He went on. "I stole it from his trophy room." Ok, definitely in for some trouble. "It was a present or something. Somebody gave it to him. But we gotta get it back! He's gonna _kill_ me!" He nearly shrieked.

I did feel bad for him. I felt partly responsible. If I hadn't have made such a big stink earlier, he might not have thought to do that. Again, he wanted to feel like a part of the team, and contribute. At the risk of angering his old man, even.

Squints was the one who spoke, "Listen to me, Smalls. It's a matter of life and death. Where did your old man get that ball?"

"What?" He was clearly struggling to remember. "I don't know. Some lady gave it to him. Why?"

"What? Some Lady?"

"Yeah, she even signed her name on it. Some lady named… Ruth… Baby Ruth."

My heart and brain both froze. Everyone else must have felt the same thing as we all shouted, "BABE RUTH!?" And without a second thought, we all made a break for the fence. Struggling to find some purchase on the rickety metal, and try to peer over into the foreboding yard.

We briefly could see the ball, but it wasn't long before a ginormous paw reached out to grab it. We were all so shocked, that we all let go and backed away quick as lightning.

"The Beast got it!"

"You're dead as a doornail, Smalls!"

"You're dead as a doornail."

"Smalls, you mean to tell me that you went home and swiped a ball that was signed by Babe Ruth, and you brought it here and actually played with it?"

"Actually played with it?"

Timmy and Tommy were doing a fine job of speaking for the rest of us who have clearly lost our voices due to shock.

"Yeah, but I was gonna bring it back." Smalls tried to explain.

We were all still so miffed at the very idea. It was taboo, blasphemy, even sacrilegious. "But it was signed by Babe Ruth!" Squints shouted.

"Yeah. Yeah. You keep telling me that. Who is she?" Smalls asked.

That was it. That was all I needed to hear. My brain didn't even bother to process anything after that. I just let the others have their say. I couldn't look at Smalls for a while.

"What?... What?!"

"The Sultan of Swat!"

"The King of Crash."

"The Colossus of Clout."

"The Colossus of Clout."

"BABE RUTH!" They all shouted as I kept my head down.

"THE GREAT BAMBINO!" Ham shouted.

I could just hear the gears turn and click in Scotty's mind as he finally connected the dots and shouted. "Oh, my God! You mean that's the same guy?"

"YES!" They all confirmed.

I finally lifted my head in order to educate him. "Smalls, Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player that ever lived. I mean, people say he was less than a god, but more than a man. You know, like Hercules or something. That ball you just aced to The Beast is worth…" I thought about it for a moment. "Well, more than your whole life, man."

I know it needed to be said, in order for him to understand, but I felt bad when his legs gave out from under him, and he said, "I don't feel so good."

The least I could do was prevent him from fainting. We all gathered around him, fanning him with out hats. "Uh-oh, fan him."

"Give him air, give him air."

He turned desperate eyes on me. "We have to get that ball back."

I felt helpless. I thought about the first day that I introduced him to the guys and I could tell that he was lying to Ham. I didn't blame him then for not knowing about the Babe, and it wasn't my ball he lost. He was asking for help, as a friend, even though he knows the gravity of his actions now.

I thought quick, "Alright! When does your old man get home from work?" I asked.

"He's gone on business. Out of town. But he could be back anytime."

At least that was a start. I got an idea that would at least buy us a little time. "Alright." I say as I gather my thoughts and put my hat back on. "Find out when." I tell him before turning to the others. "And guys, spread out and look for bottles and cash 'em in. We need 98 cents. We gotta buy us a ball."

We break and start scrounging. Two hours later, we gathered enough money to get a ball. As soon as it's in my hands, I frantically tear it from the package. "Give me something to write with." Weeks tries to shove a pencil in my hand. "Not a pencil, a pen!" Next to me, I here Scotty tell me he's got a pen. As I try to stop my hands from shaking, I try to write the words 'Babe Ruth' on the round surface while ignoring the talking around me.

"I don't know, Benny, man."

"Yeah, yeah, boy, that looks pretty crappy."

I snapped, "It doesn't matter what it looks like. His mom's never gonna know the difference. This'll just buy us some time, you dorks." I shake my head at their brainlessness. I quickly shove the ball into Scotty's hands and watch him run off home to replace it. We all agreed to break for the day in order to try to come up with some plan to get the ball back.

We reconvened in the tree house the next morning, only to discover that none of us had any ideas whatsoever. At least the fake ball fooled his mom. That was at least something in our favor. As we sat in silence, I snuck a glance in Scotty's direction. I could tell he hardly got any sleep. I didn't blame him.

Breaking us all out of our deep thoughts. Scotty piped up. "Hey, I got it! Why don't we just go over, and knock on the door and ask Mr. Mertle if he can get it for us?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Squints exclaimed. "Mr. Mertle's the meanest old man that ever lived. He's the one who made The Beast eat that kid." Scotty looked down defeated. "It's not an option, Smalls. Forget about it!" I thought Squints was being a bit harsh with him.

Scotty responded, "Oh, okay. Sorry. I… I will." He looked quite submissive.

"Let's just look out the window."

"Good idea."

We all get up to look. It wasn't long before The Beast tossed out the very ball we're aiming for. Freaked out again, we all back up.

"He's daring us."

"We're on his territory now."

I finally speak, "Anybody got any bright ideas?" This led to the most bizzar series of events… I don't even care to describe. One lame brain idea after another blew up in our faces. Some of them, quite literally. Since I didn't have any better ideas, I just went along with each of them. Four days, and no luck except that no one was seriously hurt. Emotionally scarred, perhaps, but not permanently.

I've got to admit, the erector set device Scotty created was unbelievable. I really thought that was the best idea yet. "We're gonna get it. Come on" I said quietly, waiting for the device to toss it right to us.

Just then, I hear Squint's panicked, "Fire! Fire! Fire!" And the ball was airborne. It was high, and sailing right in my direction. My heart was pounding as I shout, "I got it! I got it! I got it!" But before it just barely clears the line of the fence, I see the ginormous head of The Beast as he virtually swallows the ball in mid-air. I was so shocked, my brain shut down. I barely even registered that Scotty's device got destroyed.

When I saw him come down with that defeated look, something in me just wanted to go over and protect him. Assure him that everything was going to be alright. But I could tell that he wouldn't have heard a word I said. I could tell that he was already going through different scenarios of his impending doom. He didn't even look at us as he left, and he didn't say anything.

Later that night, I was wondering if it might help if I was there for him. What would happen if I took the blame or at least shared it. I didn't know. Maybe this was why I was better at baseball than anything else. When it came to school, facts, people, and things… I'm not that bright. My grades are mediocre at best.

I go to sleep, still thinking about Scotty and his situation. I thought I was going crazy when the next thing I knew, the ground was shaking. But instead of believing it was an earthquake, I could tell that it was caused by someone. "Who's there?" I asked, getting out of bed.

Just then, the door to my closet opens to reveal none other than the Babe himself. My hero. I blink trying to readjust my eyes. He speaks, "Now don't go pee in your pants, kid. I'm just here to give you a hand." He walks towards me, and I hear the scratching of his cleats on my hardwood floors.

"B-but you're…" I couldn't finish.

"Dead? Legends never die, kid."

"But you're really him! You're the Babe!" He just nods. "The Sultan of Swat. The King of Crash…"

"Of Crash." He finishes with me. "And a hundred other dopey names. Forget about that stuff, kid. We ain't got much time. I'm here 'cause you're in some kind of pickle, right?"

I confirmed it. "Yeah."

"A baseball with my John Hancock on it went over a fence and you can't get it back, right?"

"Yeah, right." I was surprised he knew all of this. It made me wonder about a million things, but I waited for him to continue.

"Then just hop over there and get it." He turned to go.

"Wait, wait!" I call to him as my brain remembered why that wasn't such a good idea. "I can't."

"Can't what?"

"I can't go into that backyard."

"Why not?"

"There's a beast back there."

He puffs the smoke from his cigar. "What kind?"

"A giant gorilla-dog thing that ate one kid already."

"Is that a fact?" He didn't look like he believed me. "Sit down, kid. Sit down." I moved to sit on the bed while he sat across from me. "Let me tell you something, kid. Everybody gets one chance to do something great. Most people never take the chance, either 'cause they're too scared or they don't recognize it when it spits on their shoes. This is your big chance, and you shouldn't let it go by. I mean, remember when you busted the guts out of the ball the other day? Someone's telling you something, kid. If I was you, I'd listen."

I nod as I look down. "Yeah. But what?" I ask a little bothered.

He just laughs… more like cackles… at me "You're the one with the rubber legs." He pats said legs, "Figure it out." He says as he stands up. He takes a look at the card he picked up earlier. "Henry Aaron. I don't know why, but can I have this, kid?"

Like I was going to deny him anything, "Sure, yeah."

"Thanks." He puts the picture in his pocket before he heads back to the closet.

"Wait." I say as I get up. He turns to look back at me. "You're saying I should hop over that fence and pickle The Beast?"

"Think about that kid. I'll see you later." With that, he disappears back into the closet. In the distance, I hear the sound of a roaring crowd, as his voice travels over all of them. "Remember, kid, there's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you'll never go wrong."

With that, I startle awake. I had a fresh sheen of sweat, and my heart was racing, but I remembered everything. I decided to hop out of bed, and write down everything we said before I forgot it. It felt like more than just a dream. I may not be superstitious, but this was too… I don't even know how to describe it.

First of all, he knew about the ball. So then why didn't he mention The Beast? Second of all, he spoke in riddles. I'll need to mull all of this over, but for now, I had the simple, but difficult solution. I need to Pickle with The Beast.

I rush to get dressed, and grab a few things I know I'll need. I didn't know what was going to happen today, but I knew that something big was going to happen, one way or another.

I run to Scotty's house. Instead of using the front door, I knock on his bedroom window. It didn't take long for him to open it. I could tell he didn't sleep again. When he opened the window, I spoke in a panted rush. "I had a dream. Get dressed. We're going to the sandlot, come on."

"Ok, uh-wait. I'll get my stuff." I hear him call from the window. I wait for him to scramble his stuff together, and meet me out front. With his help, we round up all the guys. From there, we head out. At the sandlot, I set down my box of new shoes and quickly switch them out. Call me stupid, but I wanted the tread on them to be the freshest they could be in order for me to attempt what I was about to do. My mom got them for me a while back, and I've been saving them until the time my old set was beyond all hope. But now… now was the right time. I could feel it. It was almost symbolic. As I shifted in the new, unbroken P.F. Flyers, I gently placed my old loyal shoes in the now empty box, and I prepared myself for what I was about to do. I start to walk towards the fence when I hear a voice behind me.

"Benny wait." Scotty said. I stopped and slowly turned back to him look him in the eyes. "It's okay. It was my fault." I exhale and briefly look away. "You don't have to do this."

I continue to look at him as I tune out the others. I know this. I know I don't have to do this. This is not my responsibility. But at the same time, as I look at Scotty, I remembered some of what the Babe told me. _This is your big chance, and you shouldn't let it go by._ Scotty is willing to take the responsibility. Even though I know how much it plagues him. He doesn't want me to come to harm. But that just solidifies my resolve. I want to do this. I wanted to protect him, and I wanted to be his hero. Only this handful of boys will ever see what I'm about to do, so in the grand scheme of things, I suppose it doesn't amount to much. But watching Scotty grow in this summer alone…. It makes me want to be a part of that. Part of his growth… his life.

I look at him with a fondness I never felt before. "Yeah, I do, Smalls." I tell him. "I have to do this." I may not fully understand _why_ I have to do this, but I just know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I turn and climb onto the old car in order to reach the top of the fence. With one final glance at Scotty, I remember more of the Babe's words. _Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you'll never go wrong._ Scotty still looked so worried for me. I gave him a thumbs-up to help reassure him, and for that moment, it felt like it was enough.

With a leap and a bit of a struggle, gravity pulls my feet to the forbidden ground. At that point, my brain shuts off, and I don't even think. I just act. The Beast emerges from his cave, carrying the very ball I sought. We both stare at each other, and I try my best to channel my fear and doubts into adrenaline for my legs to use. My body just had one action… 'run'. I skid and close my hand around the prize, and quickly retreat, but after I clear the fence, I get only a two second reprieve before I realize The Beast's chain broke and he's jumping the fence after me. "Oh. Shit!" I say as I start running again. This wasn't just a pickle, it was a full on chase to the death! I didn't stop before I was nearly mauled, cleared the fence again, and witnessed the fence crashing down, creating a sandstorm of dirt. "Look out!" I cried too late. When the dust settled, I could just barely here the strangled whimper of a pained whine. It took a moment for my eyes to focus, but when they did, I could see that The Beast was trapped under the fallen fence. "Oh, man." I say at my wits end. I'm out of breath, and I'm not sure what to do.

Just then, Scotty gently crosses over and starts trying to lift the heavy metal fence. "Come on, guys. Help me. Please!" He says. They just stand there staring at him. He looks back at me. "Benny! Benny, help me, please! He's hurt!"

I wince at his begging tone. That thing tried to eat me not five minutes ago, yet he couldn't stand to see the thing in pain, despite it supposedly being a kid-eating monster. I couldn't just stand there with Scotty asking for my help, so I go over to him and chuck the ball at Ham. "Come on. I can't lift it." I bend down and use what's left of my strength to help him.

We both manage to lift it enough for The Beast to get out, and the rest of my strength leaves me. I look over in time to see Scotty stare face to face with The Beast. I jump up, wondering if there's going to be trouble, and I nearly faint when the dog starts licking Scotty all over his face. I stare open mouth as the dog walks over to a little alcove. As we all follow, we stumble upon the animal's hoard of baseballs. It looked like a treasure trove to me. "Now we can play forever." I say. Partially due to the sheer number of balls in there, but also for the fact that we don't need to worry about The Beast now that our eyes have been opened.

Scotty pets the dog and grabs him gently by the collar, as I get the Babe ball back from Ham. I watch as he starts towards the door, and I soon follow. I notice no one else decided to come with us. We know the dog is not a monster, but we still don't know about the keeper. Scotty however does not look perturbed as he knocks.

A giant man in overalls comes out. But something was off. "Hello?" He asks in a deep voice.

I hear some of the guys behind me, but Scotty pushes on. "Um. We… we brought your dog home."

"Hercules? How'd he get out?" This was where the shouting and mayhem was going to come. I was sure.

Scotty pressed on. "Um, uh, well, uh… We, uh…"

I decided to save him again, "Well, what happened was, we hit a baseball into your yard. We tried to get it back."

"So you're the ones that've been making all that racket."

Yup, we're dead. "Yes, sir." Scotty confirmed, more composed.

The man opened the door. "You get it?"

"Um, y-yeah." Scotty said as I handed him the ball. He handed it to the man.

He felt the ball, and I could now see that the man was actually blind. I didn't say anything. The man… Mr. Mertle spoke again. "Well, first time that anybody ever got the best of old Hercules." He sounded amused. "Why didn't you just knock on the door? I'd have gotten it for you."

I didn't even have to turn my head to know that the others were razzing on Squints for being an idiot. Although, I feel like an idiot too. Scotty had that idea on the first day, and I didn't even back him up. It would have saved us a lot of trouble and turmoil.

Mr. Mertle just laughed and moved further inside. "Thanks for bringing him home. Come on in. We'll talk about this baseball. Come on." I followed after Scotty without even thinking about it. We ended up in the man's office where there was baseball paraphernalia everywhere.

"You're in trouble, aren't you, son?" Mr. Mertle asked.

I tried to come up with something to say, but Scotty beat me to it. "Yeah, well, uh, that was my stepdad's ball." I look down at him as he explained. "I took it without asking. It was signed by Babe Ruth."

"George signed this?" Mr. Mertle asked surprised.

"George Herman Ruth? Yeah." I guess somebody finally did some homework.

"I take it back. You're not in trouble. You're dead where you stand." He said. I could just feel the trepidation returning to Scotty. I was still worried for him. "Hold on." Mr. Mertle crossed over to a cabinet. He carefully grabbed a ball, and sat down at his desk. "Here, I'll trade ya."

I almost laughed. Scotty looked a little confused. "That's really nice of you, but that ball really is signed by Babe Ruth." I defended Scotty.

"So's this one, with the rest of the 1927 Yankees."

I couldn't believe it. I came up to examine it for myself. Scotty and I grabbed it at the same time, both of us avidly looked at it. I soon made out the signatures. "Oh, man. Murderer's Row! Lou Gehrig!"

"Babe Ruth!" Scotty looked back at Mr. Mertle who was just smiling away. "But why would you trade? That one's all chewed up."

"I got a lot of good stuff. Look at that stuff." Scotty moves to explore. "Besides, you need it more than I do."

Scotty looks at some of the things in the cabinet where the ball came from. I saw his back stiffen and he slowly turned as though afraid to breath. "You knew Babe Ruth?" He asked. I held my own breath at that.

"George? I sure did. And he knew me. He was almost as great a hitter as I was. I would have broken his record, but…"

"You went blind." Scotty finished for him as he moved back to my side.

"Yep. I used to crowd the plate so the strike zone almost disappeared." He scoffed in his reminiscence. "Pitcher's hate that." I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. "That's the way I played. 100% all the time. Baseball was life. And I was good at it, real good. And then…. one day… a high fast one, and pow! Lights went out." I wince at the thought. That sort of thing would break my spirit and I know I would die inside. "I don't think we could take this ball." I say.

He raises his hand, "I'll tell you what. You guys come by once a week and talk baseball with me, we'll call it an even trade."

Scotty and I look at each other, but I knew we were both thinking the same thing. It was confirmed when Scotty reached over to shake Mr. Mertle's hand. "Deal!"


	5. The Man And The Legend

We kept our promise. Every Saturday, we would come in or chat outside Mr. Mertle's house. The others were still a little weary of him, but the fact that we were right next to another great baseball lover and former professional player helped ease up the tension. It was mainly myself and Scotty most of the time.

We all helped to fix the fence, and help clean up Mr. Mertle's yard as repentance for the trouble we caused.

Word of what I had done with Hercules started circulating around the neighborhood. "The kid who bested the Beast" they would say.

Mr. Mertle told us the truth of the wild rumors about Hercules. If any animal ever harmed a human in a violent way, then they would have to be put down. The kid in question had simply moved away soon after he attempted to brave the fence, and that's why no one ever saw him again. We felt pretty stupid after hearing that. We razzed on Squints for the longest time.

Mr. Mertle also told us that he was one of the main members of the community who commissioned to have the sandlot installed virtually in his backyard. He said it gave him joy to hear young individuals put it to good use. Especially since our group was so avid about our passion. He confessed that he would sit on his back porch and just listen to our games in progress.

School started up again, and all of us were busy with our own lives, but like always, we made time to meet at the sandlot for a couple hours before we had to go home for dinner and homework. I was in high school now, and it felt like I had more work to do than the others. What made it even worse was the fact that Scotty could understand my homework better than I could. He just turned 13, and yet he's the one offering to tutor me. I honestly didn't mind, if it meant getting my homework done faster with his help.

Things moved by in a blur. It's true what they say. Time seems to speed up as you get older. Before I knew it, summer was rolling around again. This time, Mr. Mertle and Hercules would come out to the field once in a while. Life was good.

* * *

Our little spot of heaven couldn't last, however. A couple more years had passed, and Smalls still remained the one guy I hung out with the most. He was 16, and I was 3 months shy of my 19th Birthday. But one Saturday, the day that we went to go see Mr. Mertle, was the day we found several men carting things out of his house. Scotty and I were both confused as to what was going on, and one look at these guys told us it wasn't because he was moving.

"Are you the baseball boys?" Someone asked us. We turned to see a man in a suit walk up to us.

"Suppose so. What is all this. What's going on?" I asked.

"I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news, boys. Mr. Mertle passed away about three days ago."

The both of us felt like we had the wind knocked out of us. Surely this was a bad dream. It had to be.

"I am Mr. Mertle's Attorney. Joshua Rose. I need to discuss some things with you if you have a moment." He ushered us off to the side, in order to speak with us.

"What happened?" Scotty asked. I could see his eyes glistening in the sunlight. He still hates crying in front of people, and right now was no exception.

"It was terminal heart failure. He went peacefully in his sleep." That eased some of the tension, I guess. "Which one of you is Benny?" I step forward. "I'll need you to sign a couple documents real fast. Don't worry, it's nothing major. It's just release forms specifying that you accept the receiving of the items listed in Mr. Mertle's Will."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Mr. Mertle has very few relatives. But he listed the both of you as some of his beneficiaries. You will be given a number of items stipulated in his Will, as well as a disbursement of funds that he intended to contribute to your college tuition."

I hardly paid attention to what this guy was saying. I gave the papers a quick once over before signing them. My mother taught me never to sign something before I've properly read it, but I didn't want this lingering on longer than necessary.

Scotty had to contact his parents in order to talk to this man, and I could tell he was just as in a state of shock as I was. Apparently Mr. Mertle wanted Scotty to take care of Hercules, and he had to take care of transferring his stuff over to his place. It wasn't until much later when he had agreed to meet with me in the old tree house. I knew we needed a secluded spot, and that was the best place right now. When I climbed up, it was already turning dark outside. I saw Scotty huddled in the corner holding something. I silently turn on the lantern and go over to sit next to him. It was then that I noticed that he was holding the old "Babe Ruth" ball. The one that was the cause for the worst turmoil and greatest discovery. But that discovery was now gone.

I drape my arm over Scotty. "It's ok man. It's ok to cry. I miss him too. It's ok to be sad."

He sniffles and lowers his head even more as he silently sobs. I rest my head on top of his and let some of my own tears fall. It's been ages since I've been able to casually touch him like this. I've been told that it's socially awkward for boys passed a certain age to do certain things with their male friends. Apparently having your arm around your male friend is supposed to be more than a simple touch.

We used to be so comfortable around each other, but throughout the years, growing up… just made things complicated. Right now I didn't care. Anyone who denies me my right to comfort my friend through this dark time can get stuffed for all I care.

"Can I tell you something?" I asked Scotty after what seemed like a couple hours worth of crying.

"Hmm?" I heard Scotty mumble.

"I'm glad you aced that ball to the Beast. If you didn't, we'd have never known we were living next to such a great man. Think about it. He was holed up in his house for ages. Just listening to some kids play the beautiful game that he was forced to give up. He seemed so alone. But during the times we hung out with him, he would light up. He loved retelling his stories. Even when we heard them before, they were always fresh. And because of that, we have the life story of a legend. Long ago, I once heard someone tell me that Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die. And while Mr. Mertle may no longer be with us, we have the memories and stories that will be told and retold until the sky turns green."

I could hear him slightly chuckle. "Who would tell them?" He asked.

"We will for one. I've written as many as I could down. One day, we can publish it so that the whole world knows. Those stories will keep him from ever truly being gone. I know it's hard right now. But I'd rather be sad now than ignorant."

Scotty took a deep breath. "Thanks Benny."

I continued to hold him until the early hours of the morning.


	6. Separation And Surprises

The next time I felt like crying was at the end of summer, before I was going away for college. It was still in the state, but it meant no more ball with the guys. Possibly ever. The whole group was splitting up anyways, and I refused to believe it until the sun went down on the day before I had to leave. I begged my parents to let me have just one more campout in the old tree house, and they finally agreed. Scotty was the only one who joined me, but I didn't mind. We're both so tall now, we couldn't fit more than five of us in this space anymore.

We even roasted s'mores like old times and talked about random memories. When we settled down for the night, I found myself looking at Scotty as he slept. He sure has grown from the scared little boy I remember camping with on that first night. I wonder why he hasn't gotten a girlfriend yet. He's smart, funny, and he'd be a fine catch. But that's none of my business. I still find women to be very superficial.

The more I think about it, I wonder if there's something wrong with me. All my other friends have started dating, except for Scotty. But I don't feel the need. While the other guys sneak their Dad's Playboy magazines, I just continue to read my baseball ones, eyeing the equipment I can't afford. I've never seen Scotty with any of those sketchy magazines either. We have enough fun just talking to each other, that we don't feel like we're missing out on companionship. Scotty has always been there, and I thought so long as I had his company, I didn't need any one else's. He is my best friend after all.

"Hey, Benny?" He whispered, as though he didn't want to disturb me if I was already asleep.

"Hmm?" I respond.

"You're coming back for the holidays, right?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. I won't miss our annual snowball fights. There's something satisfying about smashing a snowball with a bat."

We both giggle. But then I could tell he got a little tense. "Um… would it be alright if I came to visit you? I-I mean to watch your games."

My heart actually fluttered for some reason. "Of course you can come to my games! I'd love it if you did!" I also thought for a moment. "I might even need your help with my homework during the weekends, like always. You know how dumb I get."

"You're not dumb, Benny. You've got great focus. It's just that you normally choose to aim that focus to the game. I don't blame you for that."

"You might not, but the scholarship board might. If I don't keep my grades up, I may end up losing it. They might even stop me from playing ball."

He rolled over to look at me. "If you ever need help, Benny, ask me. I'll only be a phone call away."

 _I wish it were closer_. I thought for some reason. I knew I was going to miss him most of all. I don't know that many people at the school, and the idea of being a 'freshman' again, didn't sit well with me.

* * *

It was finally Christmas break, and I was coming home. I hopped onto the third train, and couldn't wait to see Scotty's face. I told him I was arriving on Sunday, but my last final was on Thursday. So I packed everything up, and started the long trek home on Friday.

When I arrived home, my folks invited my Grandparents over. After some updates and forced politeness that comes with family you only see once in a Blue Moon, I finally was able to get out of the house a little after 6 pm. I just hoped I wouldn't be interrupting their dinner.

When I knocked on the door, it didn't take very long until I saw Mrs. Smalls through the screen door. "Benny! Oh, my goodness!" She opened the screen door and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. This woman was like a second mom to me, and I was glad I had her in my life.

"Is Scotty around? I wanted to surprise him."

That's when her face fell, and I immediately knew something was wrong. "He, uh… he hasn't come home yet today. I think he needed some time to himself. You see… we had to put Hercules down this morning. " I felt like I'd just been punched in the gut. "He was old… and he was going blind, and he's had lots of problems with his joints and could barely walk. And he had cists that were causing him great pain. I told Scotty that we could wait until after Christmas, since it's only a couple days away, but he just said that it wasn't fair for Hercules to be in so much pain. He made a very adult decision today, and I think it's taking its toll on him. If you know where he might have gone, I'm sure he would love the support of a friend right now. If you do see him, please tell him to come home before dark."

She was holding my hands so tightly. I could only nod and give her another kiss as I turned and went in search for my friend.

I didn't need to look very hard. As I approached the snow covered tree house, I could hear muffled sniffles coming from inside. I climbed the slippery stairs, and poked my head inside. Scotty was in the corner, and it looked as though he hadn't heard me. Seeing him that distraught pulled at my heart. Just like when he was younger. I hated watching him cry. I enter the little house and moved to right in front of him. "Hey Smalls." I say quietly, using his old nickname. He froze and slowly looked up.

"…Benny?"

"Yeah, man. I'm here." I didn't get any more words out because I then had my arms full of a sobbing high schooler. Scotty clung to my neck as though it were a lifeline, and continued to cry. I just held him close, and rubbed his back, trying to give some comfort. Like the last time both of us cried here, I let my tears fall silently. The both of us have lost another dear friend. After a while, I pulled back. "Hey man, I'm sorry about ol' Herc."

He blew his nose into a tissue, and wiped his eyes, trying to calm down. "I'm glad you're here, Benny. I thought you were a figment of my imagination for a moment."

"I'm as real as I can be. You're not going crazy yet." He smirked a bit.

"Well, since I came up here, I kept on thinking, 'I wish Benny were here.' And here you are…"

"I'm good like that." I mused while he chuckled.

We both sat down, leaning on the frozen wall of the shack. It felt like déjà vu, when we both mourning a loss of a great friend. Scotty rested his head on my shoulder, and I rested mine on top of his. It just felt so natural to be so close. We talked about school and teachers with bad breath. When it was getting late, I pulled him up, and made sure we descended the slippery ladder in one piece. Good thing I went first, because Scotty slipped on the second to last wrung, and I caught him from behind. He shifted quickly out of my hold, apologizing as he brushed snow off himself. I could see the rosey dusting on his cheeks that were too prominent just to be from the cold. I don't know why, but it made me feel flattered or something that he was blushing around me still. Even though it must have been out of embarrassment from the fall, I felt…. I don't know how to describe it, but it was good, nonetheless.

I wrapped my arm around him, and we walked silently back to his house. When we stepped in out of the cold, Mrs. Smalls asked if I would like to stay for dinner. I knew I had family waiting, but I couldn't leave Scotty. Not tonight. I called my mom who wasn't too happy, but she understood the circumstances. My mother had always loved Scotty. Saying he was such a good boy, and such a good influence, I sometimes thought she was a little jealous of Mrs. Smalls for having such a good son. Really though, compared to some rebellious hooligans I can point out at school, my mom should be glad I never felt rebellious in my youth.

I helped Scotty set the table, like I've done so many times before, and soon the four of us were having an amazing pot roast dinner, and some more upbeat conversations. I told them about how the baseball captain quit after two days after dealing with me, because my reputation as Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez had followed me from High School, and he didn't want to have to deal with that.

Everyone laughed, but then Mrs. Smalls threw out a random question. "So tell us, Benny. Are there any young ladies that have caught your eye yet?" She smiled at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I just saw Scotty look down at his food. Like he didn't want to be a part of this particular conversation.

I clear my throat, trying to choke out a response, "There have been some who were interested, but all I have to do is talk to them for two minutes about Baseball, and if their eyes glaze over, I know for sure that it's not going to work out. So still waiting to find someone who can pass that little test." At least that made Scotty smile as his parents laughed.

"So, has Scotty told you of the work he's been doing in the Theatre, and the Debate Club?" She asked.

"Mom…" Scotty nearly whined, as though in warning that he didn't want her to say anything.

I was a little disappointed that Scotty did not tell me anything about it, but I shoved that down in favor of showing my interest. "I don't think so. What play is going on right now?" I ask, trying to encourage him to talk about it. If this is a new interest of his, then I would show my support, even if it's not really up my alley.

"Oh honey! I'm surprised you didn't tell him that you nabbed the leading role of Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing."

I was impressed. But one look at Scotty told me that he would rather hide under the table than discuss it. I decided to help him out. "Did you know Ham used to take dance?"

He perked his head up. "No."

I chuckled. "We were in a game of Truth and Dare, and he revealed that he was forced to take two seasons of tap dance, because those were the only classes available for the summer when he was younger. All of the good sports classes were filled in only a few hours, so it was either tap dance, or stay home alone with his Grandma. He chose tap dancing." That got Scotty laughing. "But you didn't hear that from me." I warned, which made everyone laugh more. Thankfully, we moved the conversation on to something else after that.

By the time we were done, it had gotten so late, that I'm sure that my family were already asleep. While we carried everything into the kitchen, Mrs. Smalls suggested that I stay the night. They offered their spare guest room, but one look at Scotty told me how distasteful that idea was. I know his room is a bit small, but he kept it cleaner than I kept mine, and I knew he was still having a hard time knowing that he would have to sleep without a good, trusty pup at the foot of his bed. I told her that I would be fine on Scotty's old air mattress, and that we still had some catching up to do. I think she knew what I was thinking, because she didn't argue.

Inside Scotty's room, he still had some stuff of mine from my various sleepovers here, so having something to sleep in wasn't a problem. As we settled in for the night, I call up from my sleeping bag on the ground, "Why didn't you tell me you joined the debate club and theatre?" I wasn't really mad he didn't tell me, but I guess I was still bothered.

"Because I thought you would find it to be dull or boring or something, so I decided not to mention it." He said, as though it wasn't a big deal.

"I think it's great!" I tell him honestly. "You've always been super smart, and it sounds like this is helping you build your confidence up."

"It really is. I get teased about being in the theatre, since 'it's only for faggots' as they say."

"Excuse me?"

"You know. It's what all the kids say about boys who have an interest in theatre. That they must be queer."

"Is that why you never said anything? Because you thought I would say the same things?" I was on the fence between being offended, or just hurt that he would think I would act like that.

Scotty looked away. "Maybe… I don't know… I just… Haven't wanted to play sports unless it was with our group… you know… and… I know I'm not strong enough to join any athletic team or club… I just…"

"Whoa, calm down. It's okay. I just wish I knew so that I could come see you perform or compete."

"Even if it's nowhere near as exciting as baseball?"

"Hey! I may be obsessed with baseball, but I'm not above showing my friends support. I don't care if you're a part of the most boring play ever written. I would still come to see it."

"Thanks, Benny. I appreciate it."

We talked until it was close to midnight before we finally decided to go to bed. I stayed awake just looking at all of the items in his room. In the dark, my eyes shifted from what was familiar to what was new. It was some time later when I heard the quiet sniffles disturbing the silence. I was expecting this. When we were younger, he sometimes woke from nightmares, and he seemed to calm down when I was near him. We've shared the bed a few times, thinking nothing of it, but we were told that it wasn't appropriate, and the older we got, the less it happened. But right now, it just seemed like the right thing to do to just lie down on top of the covers and rub his arm soothingly.

He stiffened, probably surprised by my presence. His back was towards me, and he did not turn around. "I'm sorry. I'm keeping you up. I'm fine Benny. You don't need to be here, like this."

I guess the good old days really were gone. I made to get up. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I just thought… you needed someone close." I said. After all, it seemed like we're also past the age where one could climb into bed with their parents. We may grow older, but I'm sure that most people miss that sense of comfort they got. Like nothing bad could happen, and the nightmares would be kept away for sure.

He turned enough to grab my sleeve, but he didn't look at me. "It's just that… I don't want you to feel like you have to help me. I mean, I know we're not kids anymore, and I should be able to deal with bad times better than this…"

"Says who?" I ask.

"…Everyone, it seems."

"Listen. You've had a hard day, and I'm here for you. Do you want me to stay, or move back to the floor?"

"…Stay… Please…" He said quietly.

Without another word, we both settle down again. The bed might be a bit small for us now, not giving us a whole lot of space, but it was fine at the moment since we were so close to one another. We both drifted off easily.


	7. Risks And Rewards

Time slipped by in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, we were both attending the same school again. Not only that, but we ended up as roommates, much to our delight, or so I thought.

There was a knock on the door, and I got up to answer it. It was one of the dorm office officials. "Excuse me, is Scotty Smalls in?"

I was confused as to why this man needed to see him, "No. His class gets out in another hour. May I ask what this is about?"

The man was all business as he handed me an envelope. "Could you please see that he receives this?" He barely stood there long enough for me to take the envelope and nod his consent before the man disappeared down the hall.

My curiosity took in the front of the envelope. It was from the manager of the dorms, and a bit of dread came over me, thinking that Scotty was in some sort of trouble. I didn't have the patience to wait for my roommate. My fear overshadowed my reason. Could it be money troubles? Could it be a false accusation of some sort? I knew this wasn't any of my business, but that didn't stop me from tearing open the foreboding envelope.

As I quickly scanned the contents of the sheet, my fear turned into utter shock. In bold letters, the words **Transfer Request Approved** felt like a slap to my face. I sat down on my bed as I thought about what this meant.

Scotty didn't want to be my roommate anymore. Not only that, but he never told me that he wanted to transfer to a single room. His excuse was that the constant presence of another person was detrimental to his studies, and that he needed a quieter environment in order to concentrate. He was the darling of the student council, and the faculty loved him, so it was no wonder that he was able to sway a transfer in the middle of the semester. Especially since he won the Regional State Debate Competition for the school. He had even started doing the school's local radio announcements for the faculty. But then… why…?

I was devastated, to say the least. Scotty had been behaving strangely. I knew that. But I didn't think it was so bad that he felt that he had to leave. Did I snore too loud? Did I bother him too much with my questions or my talking in general? He always looked so focused, but he'd been increasingly more stressed and down as of late. I thought it was the homework load, seeing as how he was taking AP everything, even after skipping a grade.

I honestly felt horrible that Scotty would go behind my back and leave without a word… was I a terrible friend? Seriously, this made me feel lost, and I felt a strong urge to cry. Was my friendship with Scotty ending? After all of these years… was he… tired of me? That had to be it. Maybe ever since we became roommates, he realized how dumb I was… just barely scraping by, asking him for help all of the time… but really… I just liked how he explained things to me. My teachers could drawl on and on, and I could hardly process anything they were saying, but when Scotty explained the material, it not only made sense, but I could listen to him talk about anything, whether it was complex math equations or political history. I really didn't want to lose him as a friend.

I must have been sitting there for quite some time, because before I knew it, the door opened, and in came the object of my recent thoughts. He took in my slumped form, and immediately showed concern. "Everything alright, Benny?" He asked, putting his bag down on the floor by his desk.

I lowered my head and gazed at the vile paper still in my grasp. I could crumple it up and pretend nothing was wrong. I could say it's mail from my mom, saying a relative was ill or something… but in the end… I can't. I can't lie to him. "I'm sorry, Smalls… I… You got this letter, and I was so worried for you, that I opened it. I know I shouldn't have… just… please… please tell me what I did wrong…" I had to be careful. I was too close to losing it. I reach out, presenting the slightly crumpled sheet to him, and I didn't have the heart to look up at him as he took it.

"Benny… I…" He tried, and failed with his words.

"Is it my constant questions? I'll stop. I'll find someone else to tutor me, and I'll go to the library so that you can have the room to yourself. I'll come in quietly at night, and just go straight to bed. I won't have my light on. I won't bother you with idle prattle when you're studying. I'll…"

"Benny, stop!" Scotty said firmly.

I've never heard him be so hard with me, and my rambling died instantly as I looked at him. Almost begging him to tell me how I can fix this.

Scotty sighed, and slumped down into his desk chair. I held my breath as I watched him gather his words. "This has nothing to do with you, Benny. It's not you…"

I let out the breath I was holding, only to let out more questions, "Is someone forcing you? Are you being bullied?"

"Benny, please shut up!" He put his palm over his face, as though he were trying to wipe away the frustration there.

When no words came, I had the distinct feeling that this felt similar to how someone was trying to broach the subject that one person was breaking up with the other one. Which should have been hysterically absurd, since I've never been in a relationship, and therefore have never been dumped, but the mere thought alone… just made me feel… cold and lonely…

"Please say something, Smalls. I'm dying here…" I tried to joke, but utterly failed, as I was genuinely afraid of what he was going to say.

Scotty took a breath, and looked down at his hands as he finally started to speak, "I'm sorry, Benny. I couldn't tell you… Not for any of the reasons you might have thought. It's all me… It's all my fault." He took another breath. "When we first became roommates, I thought I could be happy just with that. We've been friend's for such a long time, and going to the same school again was just awesome! … But we're not kids anymore, and some things… things are different. It's been distracting me, and it's been affecting me. And I just… I can't do it anymore… So in order to save our friendship, I decided to do this." He gestured to the paper.

I was still so confused, "How can it save our friendship when you won't tell me what's wrong? You say it's not me, but I must have done _something_ to drive you away."

He shook his head. "You didn't do anything. You've been a great friend. Always. It's me who's… I'm… "

I shifted closer to him, "Scotty, I've always told you that you can tell me anything. Absolutely anything, and I would listen!"

"I know, and I appreciate that. It's also part of the problem. I… I couldn't… I can't tell you what's wrong… because I know you'll end up hating me!" He finished hurriedly, as though forcing the words out.

My own words died in my throat. I don't think I could ever hate Scotty, no matter what… but it was clear he thought otherwise. I sighed, lowering my head. If this is what he really wants… I shouldn't force him to stay. "Scotty… I swear on the almighty Legend of the Babe, that nothing you do, say, or anything… will ever make me hate you. I care about you too much to ever let anything change that… and if you feel like this is what you need to do… then go ahead…" It was hard to say those words, but seeing the relief in his posture was almost worth it… Almost. "I just really wish you could tell me what's wrong." The tension in the shoulders was back. I wanted to go over there, and massage his shoulders like I do sometimes when he's feeling stressed studying for a test, but I didn't move.

He got up, and moved to the door. It looked as though he was leaving right this second. Leaving me behind. His hand was on the doorknob, and I could just barely make out what he said, "I like you too much…"

My mind couldn't process. I got up, and grabbed the arm trying to twist the knob. "What does that mean, Scotty? Why are you leaving if that's the only problem?"

Scotty didn't look at me, but his embarrassment turned back into frustration, "Benny. You don't get it… I like you… as in… the same way you like baseball… and I know it's weird and wrong, and I'm trying to deal with it the best way I can. But it's my problem to deal with. Not yours."

I may not have been as smart as him, but I could understand what he was saying. He knew that I didn't just like baseball. Baseball was my life. My whole world… I was… Scotty's world…? I was strangely pleased with that. I thought about the time when I jumped the fence for him. How I wanted to help him, protect him, and that has only grown throughout the years. I didn't need anyone else so long as Scotty was there with me. Our other friends had come and gone, but what we had was… special… meaningful…

I tried to picture my life without Scotty, and I found it to be dull, and boring. We never would have found Mr. Mertle, and we never would have had such a wonderful dog as our team mascot. I never would have seen Phillips be put in his place as Scotty psychoanalyzed the living daylights out of him, and knocking him off his high horse at last. What a beautiful day that was…

A life without Scotty… to me, it seemed as painful as Mr. Mertle losing his sight. I couldn't bare the thought. I reach down, and release Scotty's hand from the knob and gently encourage him to turn around. His eyes were still downcast. His lashes were impossibly long. His chin barely held any stubble, and his cheeks were flushed. I thought about all the times when I simply wanted to hold him, or run my fingers through his hair as he studied. Even more forbidding, I constantly thought about how I wished I could simply kiss his temple as we're getting ready to go to bed, or kiss his cheek to welcome him back to the room, or how I just wanted to nuzzle my nose in his soft hair. I never thought of myself as being attracted to guys before, but I was never really attracted to girls either. If there was ever anyone on my mind, it was always Scotty.

 _Let me tell you something, kid. Everybody gets one chance to do something great. Most people never take the chance, either 'cause they're too scared or they don't recognize it when it spits on their shoes. This is your big chance, and you shouldn't let it go by. I mean, remember when you busted the guts out of the ball the other day? Someone's telling you something, kid. If I was you, I'd listen._

The realization of what I was feeling hit me like a bolt of lightning! This was the moment! This is where I am meant to be. All at once, the dream that has plagued me for years finally makes sense. Hitting the guts out of that ball started the domino effect that led us right to this point. The fence is this invisible wall in between me and Scotty. The Beast is Society and all of its harsh judgments that I have seen throughout the years. The valuable ball… is Scotty. If I want Scotty in my life, I should be able to just cross this invisible wall, and get him. But the judgments of society prevent me from doing it. So I will need to Pickle with the Beast, which is the world, in order to get at the one treasure I want. The one that is worth it all… _Follow your heart kid…and you'll never go wrong._ It was never about a rickety fence, a chewed up priceless ball that wasn't mine, and an oversized dog. It was all about whether or not I had the courage to go after the thing I wanted most, against incredible odds.

He still wasn't looking at me, but I can see the tension and fear in his posture. He's waiting for me to yell at him, or say something hurtful. I reach down and hold his hand. It's slightly sweaty from the stress he was obviously feeling, but that didn't bother me as I locked our fingers together. I speak softly so that he knows I'm not mad. "Scotty… You've always been important to me. From the moment you waved at me across the street, you've always been on my mind. You're my best friend, and I always thought we were closer than friends. I still don't know what that fully entails, because I suck at everything else except for baseball." I try to joke, wanting to make him laugh. He quirked a smile, but still didn't look at me. "I just know that I don't want to be without you. And if you leave, even if it's just down the hall, I just know that this room, as well as my life, will feel empty and lonely without you. You say you like me as much as I like baseball. Well, the same goes for me. I like you as much as I like baseball."

That's when he finally looked up at me. His eyes were shimmering with nervous unshed tears, and the sight made my heart ache. I gently rub my knuckle against his damp lashes, and glide my thumb over his flushed cheek.

Scotty bit his lips and swallowed before he spoke. "Benny… do you realize what you're saying? What will happen if this gets out? I will not have people look at you the way they look at me…"

That didn't sit well with me, "How do you mean?"

"Like I'm some sort of diseased freak! I took acting just so that it could help me pretend that everything was all right."

"How long have you been feeling like this?"

"For a long time… ever since you went away… I missed you every day. And when I turned down every single girl who ever asked me out, everyone started looking at me as though there was something incredibly wrong." The tears started to fall now. "I thought that once we were at the same school, that everything would be fine. That I would just be content with being your roommate… but it's worse now. Because, the same thing is happening all over again. And to top it off, they are all right. I am a freak. I am weird. And I can't stop how I feel…" He sobbed.

He never told me any of this before, and I felt like a horrible person for not seeing it. I turn down every girl too, but everyone just knew that I thought more about baseball, and had stopped asking. But Scotty… he was perfect. Sweet, kind, smart, everything anyone could possibly want and so much more. He was also so very compassionate, sensitive, and empathetic. I should have known better. He's always worried about how others saw him. I thought he did what I did, and just let it 'slide off the back'. But now I see he was just putting on a mask of indifference while bottling everything up. He didn't even want to bother me with his problems. That made me sad.

I still couldn't stand to see Scotty cry. I pulled him into a hug, and held him tightly. He tried to push me away, but I just held on like I never wanted to let go. I gave into the temptation of gently rubbing his back in a soothing motion, while I carded my fingers through his hair. Eventually, he calmed down, and just held me too. I pull back just enough to rub my forehead against his. "Scotty, you are by no means a freak. Weird? Maybe. Can't deny that since you're freakishly brilliant, but I like that about you. And I don't think you give yourself enough credit. Everyone keeps telling me how lucky I am to have you as a friend. They are so jealous of how much we hang out. You're like the untouchable Golden Hinde to them. I think that's what you're seeing. No one could ever hate you. If you're worried about how everyone will see us, don't. It's none of their business, and I would rather face a storm of angry people then to not have you in my life."

Scotty sniffled, "I don't know… I don't know what to do… about anything anymore… And I don't think I'm strong enough…"

"Well, I'm here for you. Just like I always was, and always will be. I'm ok with being discrete. I know it will be hard, but I would rather face it together."

Scotty lifted his head and gently placed a tiny kiss to the corner of my mouth. It was such a thrilling taste, that I leaned further down to capture his lips fully. I had no idea what I was doing, since this was my first kiss, but that didn't stop the moan that came from Scotty's throat. It felt shy, awkward, soft and wet. But it was also mind tingling. My knees were threatening to give out like my legs really were made of rubber.

I pull away to look at Scotty's incredibly flushed face. I felt a flash of pride knowing I was the one who caused such a fetching blush. I swear, I could feel his own heart beating next to my own.

"Please stay… please stay with me…" I plead softly.

He doesn't say anything else. Just nods. I was so happy, I kissed his forehead, his cheek, and finally, his lips.


	8. Perfect Life And Perfect Future

We took things slow, since neither of us had ever been with anyone before. But I no longer felt restricted around him. In the privacy of our dorm, where we spent most of our time, I could touch his neck, and brush my fingers through his hair in an absentminded display of affection. He felt more comfortable casually touching me as well. He would lean against my knees as we did homework on the bed. He'd hold my hand, or hug me from behind if I was at my desk and he was showing me how to do an equation. It was liberating to say the least.

He still felt paranoid of people looking at him funny, but knowing that he had my full support in more than one way, he was visibly stronger, and able to handle it better. His appetite came back, much to my own relief. And he looked less tense in general.

The dorms thankfully had locks on them, even though it was usually customary to keep the doors unlocked if you were in the room. So we kept a backpack in front of our door, in case someone decided to barge in unannounced without knocking , which some rowdy teammates of mine sometimes did, and only locked the door at night, so that we could sleep in the same bed. We didn't do any funny business, but we both slept better just holding on to each other.

We were currently cuddling on my bed as we both read our respective school books. It felt so nice just to be close like this. Scotty interrupted the silence with a statement. "Baseball season is about to pick up again…"

"Uh huh." I simply said, wondering what brought it up.

"All of the girls are going to be fawning over you again…"

I ruffle his hair as I chuckle, "Jealous?"

"Not quite." He knew I was teasing. He knew he had nothing to worry about from the female population. "I just wish I can… express myself in some way… you know, like some sort of secret sign, that just the two of us know…"

I kissed the top of his head. "That sounds like a brilliant idea! And I can use it too when I go to your debate competitions."

"I'd like that. But what should we use? I think the sign language sign for 'I love you' is too obvious, and would raise too many questions."

I would love it though. I started to think about other hand gestures that we could use. Like signals in baseball. Secret signs from the coach to show whether I should run for home, or hold at second. Just then, it hit me. "How about this?" I say as I show a 'thumbs up'.

"Why that?"

"It's a general 'awesome' or 'way to go' to any onlooker, but to me, I guess it's always been a bit more. It reminds me of the time when I first took you to the sandlot, and when you caught and threw your first ball. It was just a simple gesture, but for some reason, it meant so much. Like you were saying, 'I got this' or something."

"I think I was also saying, 'Thank you for believing in me'."

"Even better. I like that. It also reminds me of the time when I hopped the fence. Like I wanted to tell you, 'no matter what, it's going to be fine'."

"I like that too. It's perfect." He said, giving me a 'thumbs up'.

I covered his hand with mine as I leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Of course, we could also have it mean, 'I love you'."

He smiled and gave me a kiss, showing his approval of that idea.

* * *

Not long after I graduated from college, I received my acceptance letter, officially making me the newest member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. We went out and celebrated with some of the gang from our old baseball days. It was so nostalgic and perfect. Ham told us all about his passion for wrestling, and how he's earned the nickname, The Great Hambino!

Squints told us that after he graduates, he was going to propose to his girlfriend of three years, none other than Wendy Peffercorn. He told us all about how he wooed Wendy into giving him a chance, and how he had to grovel for days on end to earn her forgiveness about the pool incident. The laughter from our table filled the entire room.

Timmy and Tommy told us about their lives as an Architect and a Contractor, starting their business plans as co-designers for playgrounds and tree houses.

Scotty regaled stories of how I still held the title of 'The Jet' at school, and that the Dodgers have caught wind of that reputation as well. What he conveniently left out was how much that reputation flourished with his help. For the school games, he volunteered to be the announcer, and it was there that he really shined. He gave credit and criticism where it was rightly due, and his humor alone caused more people to attend the games, even if they weren't really into college baseball. But every time I heard him call me 'The Jet', I could clearly hear the affection in his tone, and it spurred me on to be worthy of that title, no matter what.

It was a perfect evening. But what made it even more perfect was when Scotty and I went home. We pulled together enough money from our savings and our part time jobs to lease a condo on the outskirts of the city. Scotty could still take the bus to school, or I drove him in the new car that my parents gifted me with as a graduation present.

When we came through the door, Scotty pulled me into a warm kiss and whispered into my ear, "Wait here for five minutes, then join me in the bedroom…" he said, his breath husky and full of mischief. When he was out of sight, I finally moved from the spot I momentarily froze in when my brain shut down.

There was no denying what Scotty had in mind. We had only experimented before, and had never gone all the way in the dorms, for fear of being too loud or being caught. And since we moved into this condo, we've both been so busy that we only ever wanted to sleep when we got to the bedroom.

Forcing my limbs to move, I could see on the clock that five minutes had indeed gone by. I approach the slightly opened door to our bedroom, and was awestruck by what I saw from the doorway.

There were a few candles lighting the dark room, and there was some soft music playing on the vinyl record player, but what struck me stupid was the sight of Scotty in the bed. The covers were sitting low on his hips, and it didn't take a genius to see that he wore nothing underneath. Even in the dimness of the room, I could see the faint blush of embarrassment on his face. He was nervous, but confident. I was not one to deny such a tempting offer. That night marked the first time we fully made love to each other in every single sense of the phrase. Life was perfect.


	9. Epilogue

As I stand on the plate at third, I brace myself. I'm going for it. This is the time, and this is the moment. I hear the melodious tones over the speakers as my lover narrates the game in his booth up above.

"The Jet's got a suicide lead and…"

It was now or never! I ran!

"And there he goes! He's stealing home! They don't see him! I don't believe it! He's stealing home!"

I see the ball fly to home out of the corner of my eye, and in wild leap, I let gravity pull me down as I brush the mound with my hand… I did it…

"He's hit the dirt! He's Safe! Safe! Oh my God! Safe! Safe! Safe! I don't believe it! The Jet stole home! The Jet stole home!"

And with that… I have won the game for us. I was breathless, but my teammates lifted me up and carried me across the field in victory! The crowd cheers in deafening applause!

As I break away from the team, I look up at the booth, where I can see Scotty looking down at me. I hold my gaze solely on him as I give a 'thumbs up'. And I can see him in the booth returning my signal. It's just the two of us in this moment, and the love behind our signal is just as strong as it has always been. The pride, the joy, the frustration, and even the occasional fight has led us to this point, and we're stronger than ever. I have two loves in my life. Baseball… and the man behind the wall...

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Whew! Finally, my little plot bunny demon has been purged. Thank you to those who actually went through such an outdated pairing. I noticed that there weren't that many stories for this pair, so I hope some of you enjoyed it. The inspiration for this piece came about when I was watching the ending, and the two men sharing a 'thumbs up' of all things. It just always seemed like something else was going on there. Sooooooo… sorry and not sorry if you won't be able to watch the movie the same way again after this fic (Don't hit me!).

I obviously don't know what it must have been like growing up in that time and going through the discovery that young men did when they found out they might actually be gay in an unforgiving world (Before everyone was corrupted by yaoi), but I did my best. Thanks again!


End file.
